Working Saturdays! When you are in the flooring business, Saturdays are crucial.  Lately, I have been trying to educate myself on prefabricated granite countertops.  I am sure that homeowners are often wondering about the difference between slabs and prefabricated granite countertops.

There is a myth that Prefabricated Granite is not "real" granite, well that is a MYTH! I had an opportunity to travel to India and China to see the process of making granite countertops.  It starts off with in an area that has huge blocks of granite which then get sliced.  After the slicing process, they go on another machine where they get cut to size, then laborers hand make the bullnose and polish it.  It then goes through quality management for a final check before being loaded on to pallets.  Well, I am not sure about others, but this is how it happens at our vendor's shop.

I was quite impressed with the process, they now use this process for granite countertops, marble countertops, quartz countertops and more!  I took some pictures while I was in China, see below.

Here is a picture of a person making the bullnose - I was quite impressed with the process.

 

Granite countertops are always cheaper than slabs because the labor is cheaper overseas.  While slabs are still used for customized projects, prefab granite countertops are more economical if you have a budget.  The piece usually comes in 96" (L)x26" (W), which is the ideal length and width of a standard size kitchen counter or a bathroom counter.  For example, if you have a L shaped kitchen, and the width is not more than 26" (with bullnose) then you could get the least expensive countertop for $99/piece (you would need 2 pieces) (www.quality-tiles or www.sognaretile.com), get someone to cut edges, make sink holes and install it for around $500, your total cost is then $700 - DONE.  Prefabricated bar tops and islands are also available.  You get granite in your kitchen for $700 installed, now that's a great deal.  Granite prefabs usually come in standard colors, but now more and more exotic colors are being made.  I've had customers who come in to look at tile, and tell me that they would also love to do countertops but can't afford granite.  I tell them about prefabricated granite countertops, do calculations for them and tell them the cost, and they get happy....really happy!

Prefabricated granite countertops are ACTUAL granite pieces, they are cheaper because the cost is less to make them overseas.  If you WANT granite, but you think that it is too expensive for you, give me the measurements of your kitchen and let me at least do some calculations for you! 

Here is a bonus picture of a market right outside a factory that we visited in China! BTW, China is one rocking place, if you ever get an opportunity to go, please go see it! People are quite friendly!

Tata for now, will be back with something else soon......